Another exasperating storyline from the MSM: the economy may be just fine overall but its screwing over 20-somethings who have to live with mom and dad.
My colleague Dan Gainor wrote up a review of the media's reheating the tired old storyline:
In the November 26 “World News Sunday” story “Young & in Debt,” anchor Dan Harris talked up the story about twentysomethings “forced to move back in with their parents.” ABC and USA Today each told stories of young men and women facing mountains of debt from school, credit cards and more.
Rather than focus on how self-made those debt mountains were – up to $165,000 in the USA Today story – both reports dwelled on how twentysomethings were “struggling to pay” for their living expenses.
ABC’s John Berman introduced viewers to Todd Townsend, who moved in with his mother because of $50,000 in debt, "mostly from student loans." "But he's not living there because he wants to," Berman said. He then explained to viewers the horrors of that choice, including living in two bedrooms next door to one another and even sharing a bathroom. "You share a bathroom with your mother?" asked Berman incredulously.
Berman wasn’t finished. "Moving back home can provide some financial relief; you get free food and laundry. But there are some pretty serious drawbacks." According to Townsend, who didn’t like to admit he lived with his mother when he met women, "it's not sexy."
If it's that unsexy, why go on national TV so even more young women know the answer to "my place or yours?"
Gainor also documented how, in typical fashion the media highlights worst-case scenarios rather than twentysomethings who carry about the average debt load for their demographic.
—Ken Shepherd is Managing Editor of NewsBusters
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Good God boy, Grow up and b
November 27, 2006 - 18:27 ET by 1sttofightGood God boy, Grow up and be a man. Geeeees...................
You are never going to get any while you are a mama's boy.
Move out and pay your own fricking way and you can do whatever you want too.
What do you suppose he majore
November 27, 2006 - 18:37 ET by Andrew H.What do you suppose he majored in for fifty grand? I can guess. If I'm right he's very employable in then food service industry. Learn something and get a job; you're not a child anymore.
Never relent.
major
November 27, 2006 - 18:54 ET by misterbillCrack or meth. Caustic cynicism, not humor intended. I hear about so many 20's who are in debt to unsavory characters in my little neck of the woods. Instant gratification is also a problem. See it, buy it, whether you need it or not.
Personal experience??? A 19 years old son who was granted a credit card with a part time job. Daddy had to show him how to get out of trouble. Easy, burn the card and pay off the debt each month. Not as much fun as buying, but what the heck!!!
What? There are millions o
November 27, 2006 - 18:56 ET by Squalls BladeWhat? There are millions of homeless people in the world and people who live in mud shacks and this idiot is complaining because he has to share a bathroom with his mom? As was pointed out, if this is sooooooo embarassing for him, then why go on national TV to tell the whole country about it?
Democracy is not enough. If the culture dies, the country dies. - Pat Buchanan
forced to move back in with
November 27, 2006 - 19:59 ET by bws53forced to move back in with their parents
Forced? More like encouraged. If the parents would only realize that keeping the door open is a big problem. If these 20-somethings know they don't have something to fall back on, maybe they'll think twice about that new car that comes with a $488 monthly price tag or that new iPod or Xbox or buying the $86 Ralph Lauren shirts instead of the $17 Kohl's brand, etc. I wonder how many of these 20-somethings who move back home citing "college loans" forget to mention the spending binges they've gone on buying what they want instead of what they need. Unfortunately, it's become acceptable to live beyond one's means. It's more important to show up driving a new Escalade and wearing ridiculously overpriced designer clothes than it is to stick to a budget and manage your money. If that means paying off some college loans before you stroll over to the car lot to check out the 2007 models, then live with it. You'll thank yourself when you're older.
bws53
November 27, 2006 - 20:04 ET by BlondeWell.......
The new 2 seat Bentley coupe is only $1,999 per month on a 48 month lease. And it's gorgeous!!!!
Think I could afford that if I moved back in with my parents? I know I'd look really super in that Bentley.
Of course, then complain that
November 27, 2006 - 20:15 ET by ChemicalOperatorOf course, then complain that living at home sucks, so the left will ask the government to give you money!
This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.
Blonde,That was funny! My bro
November 28, 2006 - 08:02 ET by msh1973Blonde,
That was funny! My brother and sister-in-law have had trouble with their brood moving back in with them. I can see right out of college, but not after they have been working for awhile.
twentysomethings “forced
November 27, 2006 - 20:10 ET by Jack Bauertwentysomethings “forced to move back in with their parents.”
Actually, the idea of kids rushing off from their parents and extended family ASAP is a relatively new idea.
Proud member of the all-powerful and vast
militarist/industrialist/capitalist/zionist-bagelist complex
Can you say LOSER!
November 27, 2006 - 23:37 ET by SvenCan you say LOSER!
The Baby Boomer Spawns are home to roost
November 28, 2006 - 00:39 ET by terrigYou know, I can't feel too sorry for either of these two. If you can't get a handle on your bills and you're supposedly a college graduate then you are a LOSER! My brother had an ungodly amount of debt out of law school more like 85K and while he took the FL bar, he had no intention of moving in with the Aged P's. I think if these parents had taught these kids some responsibility and money management growing up they wouldn't be in the fix their in now. Yeah, when I first got out of college I had a little credit card problem myself-it got fixed with a little something called Consumer Credit Counseling and secured credit cards for about 5 years but it's a lesson I learned and will never find myself in that fix again. However, I didn't run home to the 'rents house and they darn sure didn't give me any money to pay off my debt.
My children always have a hom
November 28, 2006 - 18:13 ET by Dan The Man 2My children always have a home to come back to. Of course there are rules to follow and one of them is to a productive citizen. My daughter who is 31 just moved out to her own apartment last year. She choose and me and my widfe supported her in her choosen occupation. She was a teacher at a mothers day out program and made about 8K a year. We supported her in this because she thrived on it and loves her work. Not all people have jobs that they can support themselves on. Each child is different and each deserves to be treated differently.
Like I said if one of my children want to live with me then if they follow my rules, contribute to the household and are productive then they have a place to stay. My other 2 children are completely different, in fact all my children are different from the others in at least 1 way and probably more.
My 17 year old daughter is looking to spend 22K a year going to school to be a teacher. I finally convinced her to dual major just in case teaching wasnt her thing.
My 14 year olld son may live top see his next birthday. He too knows the rules concerning living at home past the age of becoming an adult.
Bottom line is I try to teach my children to be self sufficient and hope to pick them off the ground when they fall. At least if they learn from the exoperience I will be satisfied.
Nuke em til they glow then shoot em in the dark. -- save my gun, shoot a liberal.